Door shifted tray support for cabinets



De- 8, 1931- E. A. CHANDLER ET AL 1,835,847

DOOR SHIFTED TRAY SUPPORT FOR CABINETS Filed Sept. 17, 1929 2Sheets-'Sheet l l r l amg DeC- 8, 1931. E. A. CHANDLER ETAL 1,835,847

DOOR SHIFTED TRAY SUPPORT OR CABINETS Filed sept. 17, 1929z'sneets-sheet 2 @WMM ...Patented Dec. v8, 1931 CII UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ERNEST A. CHANDLER AND JOHN H. MCCANN, F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD T0 ARCH v'Gn CHANDLER, 0F BESSEMER, ALABAMA DOGRSHIFTED TRAY SUPPORT FOR GABINETE This invention relates to improvementsin cabinet structures wherein article supporting trays are employed andrelates more par- Y ticularly to improvements in refrigeratorconstruction.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide, in arefrigerator, a. slidably mounted frame adapted to support the trays ofthe refrigerator with means associated therewith and coupling the framewith the door of the refrigerator whereby the frame and all of the trayssupported thereby will be withdrawn from the refrigerator as the doorthereof is swung open and returned to position in the refrigerator whenthe door is swung to closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in association with astructure of the character above set forth, a wall or partition forminga part of the tray frame which acts to close the chamber in which theframe normally positions after it has been drawn therefrom to preventescape of the cold air from the refrigerator.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a reciprocating traystructure for a refrigerator in which all of the trays or racks areshifted coincidently with the door and in I which means is providedwhereby the forward portion of the structure supporting the trays orracks is given additional support when in extended position so thatsagging thereof is prevented.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as adescription of the same proceeds and the invention will be bestunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of thepresent specification with the understanding, however, that theinvention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing ofthe drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes ormodifications mark no material departure from the salient features ofthe invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through arefrigerator showing the structure embodying the present invention inposition in the food chamber thereof.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substan` tially upon the line 2 2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 3 3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken transversely of the refrigerator upon ahorizontal lane and above the top wall of the food cham er showing theposition of the shelf supporting structure when the refrigerator door isopened.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 1 indicates generally a cabinet body which, in the presentinstance will be referred to as a refrigerator. This refrigerator isshown as having the spaced inner and outer walls 2 and 3 respec- -tivelybetween which may be placed a suitable insulating material, and a dooropening 4 is formed through one wall which 1s normally closed by thedoor 5 mounted upon the hinges 6 which are of a construction which willswing the door to a position a substantial distance away from the bodyof the cabinet when the door is opened. In the upper portion of thechamber 7 which may be referred to as the food chamber, a partition wall8 is arranged through the central portion of which an elongated centralopening 9 is formed, through which cold air may pass downwardly into thefood chamber from a cooling means of any desired character, such forexample as the freezing coil of an automatic refrigerator unit, whichcoil may be placed in the chamber 10 formed above the food chamber. Theforward wall 11 of the chamber 10 is formed to receive an ice cubedrawer 12 and the opening in this wall through which the tray 12 isextended is normally closed by a, hanging hinged door 13.

While we have particularly shown and described a refrigerator structurein association with which an automatic refrigerator unit may beemployed, it is, of course, to be understood that the application of thepresent invention is not to be restricted to use in a refrigerator ofthis type but may be used in frame 14, the upper and lower side railsand 16 respectively, which form the side frame of the skeleton whichside rails connect at their inner or rear ends with an upright panel 17which forms a rear wall for the skeleton. This rear wall or panel 17 isof slightly less height and width than the chamber 7 and has securedabout the edges thereof the resilient tongue or fiange 18 which snuglyengages the chamber walls for the purpose hereinafter more clearly setforth.

Extending from the front to the rear of the food chamber along each sidewall and at the top and bottom thereof is a trackway 19 formed in anysuitable manner and of any suitable materials. Each of these trackwaysis in the same plane as the adjacent side rail of the skeleton and eachof the side rails is extended laterally suficiently to slidably envgagein the adjacent track, or if preferred each of the side rails may havesecured thereto a. laterally extending iiange member for j 0 ent portlonor ange 18 of the panel 17 wlth the walls of the chamber 7 the door 5 ofthe engagement in the adjacent track, the projecting portion of the siderailor its equivalent, such as the attached ange, being indicated by thenumeral 20.

The refrigerator rack or tray su porting skeleton has attached to theuprig t members of the front frame 14 and to the panel 17 adjacent thevertical edges thereof, suitable supporting elements 21 for maintainingthe racks or trays 22 in horizontal position in the skeleton.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 each of these racks has a surroundingupstanding guard 23 and at its central portion an elongated recess 24corresponding to the recess 9 in the top wall of the food chamber aboutwhich a similar upstanding guard 25 is formed.

These guards prevent bodies from being packed too closely upon the racksand from being arranged so that they extend over the sides of the rackand engage the walls of the food cabinet and prevent the freecirculation of cold air through the chamber.

To the central portion of thetop and bottom edge of the back wall orpanel of the rack carrying skeleton structure there is pivotally securedone end of a link 26, the other end of which is pivotally attached, asat 27, to one end of an arm 28 which is rigidly secured as at 29 to thecentral portion of the door 5, in the manner shown, this arm beingarranged at an acute angle to the face of the door to which it issecured so that as the door is swung from opened to closed position, or

vice versa, the arms will act through the links 26 to move the racksupportin skeleton frame inwardly or outwardly o the food chamber.

In order to insure movement of the rack supporting structure always inthe same plane and without sagging, a series of links 30 are provided ateach side of the structure, which are arranged in end to end relationand pivotally connected, as at 31, one end of each series being secured,as at 32, at a suitable point adjacent the lower part of the skeletonsupporting structure at the front thereof, while the other end of theseries is pivotally attached, as at 33, to the adjacent side wall of thefood chamber adjacent the top thereof and in the front of the chamber.

From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that when therefrigerator door 5 is swung from closed to open position, the arm 28will draw the rack supporting structure and all the racks thereon out ofthe chamber 7 to a position where easy access may be had to any of thearticles supported upon the various racks 22.

At the same time the linked brackets or arm 30 are swung outwardly toform a support for the forward part of the rack supporting structure sothat sagging thereof cannot occur.

Due to the snug engagement of the resilithereto for it will be seen thatas the rack supporting structure moves outwardly, the panel moves tothefront of the chamber 7 and keeps the same closed.

In order to prevent the creation of suction or a vacuum behind the panel17 as the rack carrying structure moves outwardly and to permit thesmooth return of the panel to the back of the cabinet chamber when thedoor is swung to, there is formed therethrough an opening 34 whichisnormally covered by a swinging flap valve 35. This Hap valve does notseat tightly over the opening 34 so that sulicient air may pass from thefront to the rear of the panel when the same is moved outwardly toprevent creation of a vacuum which would retard the opening of the doorand movement of the structure, until the edge of the vpanel moves overthe opening 9, after which air may pass freely through this opening fromthe upper chamber 10, to the rear of the panel. It will be readilyunderstood that when the panel is moved back to position in the chamberthe valve will swing away from its seat to permit free passage of airtrapped between the rear wall of the chamber or panel.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with arefrigerator provided with a structure of the` character hereindescribed, material therein on the supporting racks may be readilyobtained upon opening the door and also reduction of the efficiency ofthe refrigerator will be prevented as a result of the provision of theshiftable wall or panel 17 which prevents entrance of warm air into thechamber or escape of cold air therefrom while the door is open.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a cabinetstructure having a chamber and a swinging door closing an openingthrough one wall thereof, a skeleton frame structure designed to fit inthe chamber, racks carried in said frame structure, means for `slidablysupporting the structure in the chamber for movement relative to thedoor opening, linked arms connecting the door with the structure at therear of the same, means for supporting the forward part of the structurewhen the same is moved to position exteriorly of the chamber, and a wallforming the rear of said structure and movable therewith to the front ofthe chamber upon extension of the structure, said wall having contact atall times throughout its edges with the adjacent chamber walls to closethe chamber against entrance of air thereto or escape of air therefrom.

2. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a dooropening and-adoor pivotally mounted thereover, and further having an ice vchamber incommunication with the first chamber throughy al central opening in anintervening wall;` an open structure conforming in design to the designof said chamber and adapted to fit therein, said structure including aback wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said paneland engaging the walls of the chamber, racks carried by the structure, alinked arm connecting the structure with the door to shift the same inthe chamber relative to the door opening when the door is swung to openor closed position, and a valve member controlling an opening in saidpanel. said opening preventing the trapping of air in the chamber whenthe panel is shifted inwardly, said panel moving across said wallopening in its in and out movement with the structure, and said valvepassing sufficient air to permit the outward movement of the panel,until said opening is reached thereby.

3. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a door opening and adoor pivotally mounted thereover, an open structure conforming in designto the design of said cham ber and adapted to fit therein, saidstructure including a back wall panel, a resilient flange surroundingthe edge of said panel and engaging the walls of the chamber, rackscarried by the structure, a linked arm connecting the structure with thedoor to shift the same in the chamber relative to the door opening whenthe door is swung to open or closed position, and linked arms connectingthe forward lower art of the structure wit the upper part of t e chamberwalls and acting to prevent sagging of the structure when the same isextended from the chamber.

4. In a refrigerator structure, a `chamber having a door opening and adoor pivotally mounted thereover, and further having an icc chamber incommunication with the first chamber through a central opening in anintervening wall; an open structure conforming in design to the designof said chamber and adapted to fit therein, said structure including aback wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said paneland engaging the walls of the chamber, racks carried by the structure, alinked arm connecting the structure with the door to shift the same inthe chamber relative to the door opening when the door is swung to openor closed position, a valve member controlling an aperture in saidpanel, said aperture preventing the trapping of air in the chamber whenthe panel is shifted inwardly, said panel moving across said wallopening in its in and out movement with the structure, and said valvepassing sufficient air to permit the outward movement of the panel,until said opening is reached thereby, and linked arms' connecting theforward part of the structure with the chamber walls and acting toprevent sagging of the structure when the same is extended from thechamber.

5. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a door opening and adoor pivotally mounted thereover and further having an ice chamber incommunication with the first chamber through a central opening in anintervening wall; an article supporting structure conforming in designto the design of the chamber and fitted therein, said structureincluding a back wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge ofsaid panel and engaging the walls of the chamber, said structure beingdesigned to be slidably moved into and out of the chamber through thedoor opening, and a valve member controlling an opening in said panel,said opening operating to prevent trapping of air in the chamber whenthe panel is shifted, said valve being formed to pass sufiicient airthrough the opening when the panel is moving outwardly, to permit suchmovement until the panel reaches said wall opening.

6. In a, refrigerator structure` a chamber having a door opening and adoor pivotally mounted thereover, an open article supporting structurewithin the chamber and conforming in design to the design of thechamber, a linked arm connecting the door with the back portion of thestructure to effect. substantially complete removal of the structurefrom the chamber when the door is swung to open position and to effectreplacement of the structure when the door is closed, and linked armsconnecting the forward lower part of the structure with the upper partof the chamber side Walls and acting to prevent sagging of the structurewhenlthe same is extended from the chamber.

7. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a door opening and adoor pivotally mounted thercover and further.v having an ice chamber incommunication with the first chamber through a central opening in anintervening Wall; a frame structure conforming in design to the interiordesign chamber and of a size to snugly t therein, said frame structureincluding aback panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of saidpanel and engaging the Walls of the chamber, said panel having anopening therethrough, and a flap valve mounted upon the inner face ofthe panel to cover said opening, said frame being designed to be shiftedinto and out of the chamber through said door opening and said valveopening upon the shifting of the frame inwardly to prevent the trappingof air behind the frame, said valve being formed to pass sufficient airthrough the opening When the panel is moving outwardly, to permit suchmovement until the panel reaches said wall opening.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures.

ERNEST A. CHANDLER. JOHN H. MCCANN.

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